Blackpool Transport
| service_type = Tramway, urban and interurban bus services, school bus | destinations = Fleetwood, Lytham St Annes, Kirkham, Knott End, Poulton-le-Fylde | fleet = 131 buses, 75 trams | operator = Blackpool Transport Services Ltd | leader_type = Chief executive | leader = Jane Cole | website = Official Website }} Blackpool Transport Services (BTS) is a bus and tram operator running within the boroughs of Blackpool and Fylde and into the surrounding area, including Fleetwood, Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde and Kirkham, Preston. BTS is a limited company wholly owned by Blackpool Borough Council, which makes it one of the few remaining municipal bus companies in the UK today. History Blackpool Transport was founded in 1885 by the town council. It became an arm's length company in 1986. Neighbouring operator Fylde Borough Transport, which at the time traded as Blue Buses, was taken over in 1994; it had previously been a council-owned operation itself, but spent five months in private ownership before Blackpool Transport's takeover. The company's network was relaunched in April 2001 under the name Metro Coastlines. Along with the new name came a new colour-coded service: each core bus route was operated by vehicles painted in a livery heavily featuring that route's colour. There were twelve such core bus routes, and the historic tramway along the promenade also had its own variation of the livery. On Monday 26 July 2010, Metro Coastlines branding was discontinued and the company went back to the older name of 'Blackpool Transport'. Buses have had their Metro Coastlines logos removed and replaced with a new Tower and waves logo, along with a black and yellow colour scheme. The tramway now uses a purple and white colour scheme, based on Blackpool Council's main colour schemes. The Tower and waves logo does not feature on the trams. Bus types Blackpool Transport currently has a fleet of 140 vehicles as of September 2018. The fleet is primarily double deck. The mainstay of the Blackpool Transport fleet is the ADL Enviro 400C with 55 buses of this type currently in service. In the single deck fleet the standard vehicle is the ADl Enviro 200 with 18 examples in service. Also operated are fourteen Plaxton bodied Volvo B7RLEs and 10 Mercedes Citaros. In terms of double deckers the fleet there are 35 Dennis/TransBus Tridents with East Lancs bodywork. Newest are the 55 ADL Enviro 400C. Fares Fares on Blackpool Transport depend on the distance travelled, although there is a cap per journey. Most tickets can be purchased from the driver of the first bus boarded, or on trams from the conductor. Holders of an ENCTS bus pass may travel free on buses and trams (excluding Heritage Trams). Children under five also travel free. Drivers and conductors may also be able to give change in small denominations. Bus routes and branding Between 2001 and 2010 each line (service) had its own individual route colour which was painted with a contrasting colour of yellow, and there were also black generic painted buses which were used on any line if a branded vehicle couldn't be used for any reason. Each bus stop also featured the line colour and timetables were also colour-coded. Route branding was discontinued on Monday 26 July 2010 when Blackpool Transport introduced major changes to its bus network, replaced by a new livery of black and yellow.Blackpool Transport woes Blackpool Aloud, 27 May 2010 Since 2002 local bus services have not used the 1960s bus station located on Talbot Road. The town centre Blackpool Transport offices were relocated to Market Street. With the new service changes, many services now serve different town centre stops. Service 1 stops at North Pier and Blackpool Tower in both directions. Services 2 and 2C terminate at Corporation Street Stop C1. Services 5, 7 call at Market Street. Services 3, 4 now operate via Topping Street (northbound) and Clifton Street (southbound), Service 17 terminates at Market Street and Service 20 stops at Bank Hey Street. Since 2015, the new palladium bus service has started with new paint jobs, new WiFi and e-leather seats. The current services operating palladium are, 3,4,5,6,7,9,11, 17 (Mostly) and on on occasion the 1, 17, 18, 19. The News Buses used are Citaros and ADL 400C's and 200's. Some are refurbished such as the Centro's Palladium Spec. ' ' * Operates during the summer season only All routes terminate or pass through Blackpool town centre, stopping at either Market Street, Corporation Street or Abingdon Street bus stops. See also * List of bus operators of the United Kingdom References External links * Official website * Extensive photo collection (1) * Extensive photo collection (2) Category:Tram transport in England Category:Bus operators in England Category:Transport in Lancashire Category:Transport in Blackpool Category:Companies based in Blackpool Category:Companies owned by municipalities of England Category:Bus operators in Lancashire Category:1885 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:Companies established in 1885